Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a few weeks ago said that he and President Joe Biden are on the same page as Democrats draft a “transformative” infrastructure package unleashing more than $3.5 trillion in domestic investments on par with the New Deal of the 1930s.

The bill includes funding for a variety of social services including universal pre-K and Medicaid expansion. It also includes climate provisions. But in order for it to pass without Republican support it needs to bypass the filibuster and go through "reconciliation."

Spectrum News 1 anchor Brett Shipp got a chance to speak with Sanders as he continues to tout the massive bill.

Sanders started by justifying the bill’s enormous price tag.

“We have more income and wealth inequality than any time in the last hundred years. You have billionaires and large corporations that in some cases are not paying a nickel in federal income tax,” Sanders said. “And I think what the American people are saying is hey, how about an American government that works for working people, not just the wealthy and the lobbyists?”

The Vermont senator said the bill goes well beyond the issue of income inequality, however, and will address the needs of everday Americans. 

“In addition to demanding the wealthy and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes, we’re going to radically reform child care,” Sanders said. “Right now, all over this country, you’re seeing working people being forced to pay 25, 30% of their income for child care. That is crazy. Many workers are staying home because they can’t find decent child care. We’re gonna make pre-K, that is, education for 3- and 4-year-olds, part of the overall educational system, free. It means that we are gonna make higher education, community colleges, two years, free. It means that we are going to finally end the (…) disgrace of being the only major country on Earth not to have any paid family and medical leave. It means that we’re going to expand Medicare so that the elderly people in this country can be able to get the dentures, the hearing aids, the eyeglasses that they need.”

“It (the bill) means that we understand that climate change is an existential threat to our country and the entire world. Look at what’s going on in the West Coast, Europe right now,” Sanders said.

On the subject of how all of this is going to be paid for, Sen. Sanders again said his bill addresses inequitable taxation.

“Well, you want to talk about how it’s going to be paid for, all of that is going to be paid for in my bill by demanding the wealthy and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes,” he said.

Sanders weighed in on immigration policy and Texas’ efforts to curb an uptick in illegal border crossings. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to finish the border wall started by former President Donald Trump.

“We need a sane immigration process,” Sanders said. “We need to abide by international law. What people in the country - whether they’re Black, they’re Latino, they’re Native American, whatever they may be, they’re poor, they’re young – (need is to) have the right to vote.”

Immigrants and advocates are urging Democrats and President Biden to quickly act on legislation to protect young immigrants after a federal judge in Texas a week ago ruled illegal an Obama-era program that prevents the deportation of thousands of them brought into the U.S. as children.

Plaintiffs have vowed to appeal the decision by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who declared the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program illegal, barring the government from approving any new applications, but leaving the program intact for existing recipients.

“Hundreds and hundreds – I should say more than that, millions of young people, kids who were, you know, raised in the United States – many of them don’t even speak Spanish – the United States is their home, many of them are serving in the military, they’re educators, they’re working in schools, they’re doing important work,” Sanders said. “I would say that during this terrible COVID pandemic we have suffered, it has been the immigrant community that has suffered more than ordinary people. Many of them have lost their lives doing the critical work that is required to keep the economy going. So we will do our best to move forward for comprehensive immigration reform and a path towards citizenship for these folks.”

Sanders finished by discussing the Texas Democrats who fled the state in order to prevent the passage of a sweeping, GOP-backed election bill.

“I don’t have a problem with somebody who disagrees with me on an issue. But we should not be disagreeing about whether or not all of our people should be able to fully participate in the political process,” he said. “It is un-American, it is an outrage to try to pass laws which clearly, clearly discriminate against people of color and young people, people of disabilities, making it harder for them to participate in the political process. I would say to my Republican colleagues out there, this is an act of cowardice. You don’t think you can win elections based on your ideas, and if the only way you think you can win elections is by denying people who might vote against you the right to vote, that is pathetic. Stand up. Fight for your ideas. But don’t be afraid to allow people to participate in the political process.”

Watch the full interview Sen. Sanders in the video player above.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.